Fifth Cobb pedigree complex to go ahead in USA

Cobb is to invest 19 million USD in developing a new pedigree breeding complex in Tennessee in the USA. This will be the fifth such pedigree complex in the country, catering for ongoing growth in global sales of broiler breeder stock and also an enlarged Cobb gene pool.

The puchase of 405 hectares of farmland at Deer Lodge, in Morgan County, has been signed and construction work is scheduled to begin immediately with completion in 12 months.

The project, which will create around 115 new jobs in the locality, has begun the process to secure a fast-track infra-structure development programme grant from the State of Tennessee through the county’s economic development committee. “We’ve had an extremely positive response from Morgan County and the State of Tennessee officials who welcome the boost this will provide to their local economy,” says Dave Juenger, director of support services for Cobb-Vantress.

The site was chosen because of its strategic location as well as the opportunities provided by the Deer Lodge farm.

“Locating the pedigree farm in a different region to our other complexes gives us an additional degree of security particularly in supplying our global markets,” says Mr Juenger. “Deer Lodge is a very rural area of Tennessee which once had a local poultry population years ago, but now has very few birds in the county."

The pedigree complex will house a number of Cobb lines including some of the Hybro lines acquired by the company in 2008. The development will include a hatchery as well as the brooding, rearing and production housing and employee centre.

This is the second major investment by Cobb in Tennessee. Last month its $14 million parent stock hatchery was officially opened at Lafayette to increase the supply for US customers.